North of Boston and Salem are filled with wonderful things to do and see

Whether your idea of fun is Brahms or a local brew, you will find much to enjoy in the activities of the Greater Merrimack Valley. The Lowell Philharmonic Orchestra, the Lexington Symphony and the Groton Hill Music Center offer an array of classical, pops, jazz and chamber music concerts. Catch a vibrant, contemporary play at the Merrimack Repertory Theater, go on a snowshoe tour at the deCordova Sculpture Park & Museum or visit the masterworks at the Whistler House Museum of Art. Dine, shop, see a film or listen to a concert at lively Mill No. 5 in Lowell. Take a trip through the history of the graphic arts at the Museum of Printing (check out their typewriter collection), or grab a brew at Lord Hobo Brewing Company’s Woburn taproom.

In the historic city of Salem, it’s perhaps no surprise that a museum is dedicated to understanding the events that led to the infamous witch trials of 1692. But visitors will find plenty of surprises in the dramatic presentation at the Salem Witch Museum, where 13 life-size stage sets, figures, lighting and narration tell the story of the trials, which led to the execution of 14 women and six men. A second presentation examines the meaning of the word “witch,” and how witch hunts are still a phenomenon in modern times. The museum experience takes about an hour, and tickets must be purchased online. The museum has an interesting gift shop, with everything from apparel to tarot cards. Parking is available in nearby garages.

The museum is now open! Wednesdays-Sundays from 10am-5pm. Advance ticketing is preferred - Please call or visit our website.

In addition to the extraordinary collection of military vehicles, tanks, aircraft, vintage race cars and automobiles, the American Heritage Museum hosts an exciting array of living history events, from tank demonstration days to World War II re-enactments. New to the museum is a video exhibit on 9/11, featuring the recollections of two F-16 pilots who tried to intercept hijacked Flight 93. The museum’s chronological exhibits on America’s fight to preserve freedom go from the Revolution to the current War on Terror, with detailed dioramas on the campaigns of World Wars I and II, Korea, Vietnam and the Gulf War. Interspersed throughout are the vehicles so crucial to those campaigns. The museum also runs tank-driving programs at a separate training ground.

Pay your respects to celebrated authors and thinkers at Sleepy Hollow Cemetery in Concord, the sylvan resting place of some 10,000 souls. Stroll the garden-like grounds on a self-guided walking tour. Literary buffs may flock to "Author's Ridge" atop the highest hill, which marks the modest family plots of Henry Thoreau, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Emerson, and Louisa May Alcott. "The Knoll" houses specially consecrated Jewish burial grounds. "Mourning Victory", or the Melvin Memorial, honors three brothers killed in the Civil War. While here, explore nearby Walden Pond or the Wayside, home to both Hawthorne and Alcott. Self-guided tour books available.

The town of Gloucester, on the northern edge of Massachusetts Bay, is historically a rugged fishing town known for its iconic statue of Man at the Wheel (and for its role as the base of fearless fishermen in the movie “Perfect Storm”). It is also a great place to visit if you love sweet New England downtowns. Gloucester’s HarborWalk is a one-mile walking path through town from Gloucester House to Stage Fort Park. From St. Peter’s Square on Rogers Street, the HarborWalk passes the working waterfront to Harbor Loop. The Walk then turns up to City Hall, then turns back down through the historic district to St. Peter’s Square. (photo by David Gleeson)

Rocky Neck Art Colony in Gloucester is the oldest working art colony in the country, and has been luring artists to its picturesque shores for more than 150 years. Today the area is still home to many working artists and to galleries showing paintings in all media, as well as batik, photography, jewelry, prints, sculpture, ceramics, and fine gifts. A convenient walking tour of Rocky Neck, along East Main Street, includes information about three dozen galleries and studios on the Neck. A new book about the artists and history of the region, titled Rocky Neck Art Colony 1850-1950, by Judith Curtis, is available.

The Stevens Coolidge House & Gardens at 153 Chickering Road in North Andover was an early-20th-century estate with expansive and beautiful gardens. (Originally, the estate was the summer home of Helen and John Gardner Coolidge—a diplomat and a nephew to Isabella Stewart Gardner—from 1914 to 1962.) The Trustees of Reservations, which preserves and manages the property, did an improvement project in 2020-2021 that included new and improved gardens, indoor classrooms, retail space, an event lawn, and revised interior spaces. This is a fine year to visit. Admission tickets must be bought online in advance, for a specific time slot.